1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to storm shutter systems which are readily deployable during a storm or hurricane threat, and more particularly to a storm shutter panel and system which incorporates a preferably removable plug lockably engageable into apertures formed in each of the panels such that, when these plugs, in the preferred transparent or translucent embodiment, are removed, substantial amounts of light enter into the interior of the building without removal or opening of the panels and shutter system themselves.
2. Description of Related Art
A broad array of prior art approaches to protecting the interior of a building from window damage and subsequent water and interior wind damage during heavy storms and hurricanes are well known. One form of protection includes the deployment of solid panels across the window and door openings to prevent damage thereof from flying objects during the storm. However, such a simplistic approach typically blocks off all light from entering the interior of the building and for those occupants therewithin during the storm, the dread and threat of hurricane damage is multiplied should electric power be interrupted and complete darkness envelop the occupants.
To provide some semblance of light without the need for dismantling of a hurricane shutter system over windows and doors, Hill, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,345,476, has provided a perforated pleated shutter system with small perforations over a substantial surface area of each of the pleated shutters. Hill teaches other forms of perforations in protective window shutter systems which are not pleated and easily openable for broad light input while also having fixed open perforations for smaller amounts of light while still affording protectability to the interior of the building from flying object damage to the window structure. These prior Hill patents include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,996,292, 5,596,849 and 5,487,244.
Coyle, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,787,642 discloses a storm shutter with light transmittance which includes a fixed polycarbonate transparent sheet covered over by an expanded aluminum element mounted snuggly in the peripheral frame and against or immediately outside of the polycarbonate sheet.
The present invention provides an accordion style storm shutter system and panel therefor which, when deployed or closed during a storm threat, includes removable or fixed plugs fitted into mating apertures typically almost as wide as the width of the panel extending along a substantial length of each panel. When transparent or translucent plugs are inserted and releasably engaged into the mating apertures, full hurricane protection is afforded, the plugs alternately being opaque and removable to provide a substantial amount of the hurricane protection while allowing a significant amount of light to enter into the interior of the building. Because the holes or apertures are limited to a width of the panel in the range of approximately 4″ or smaller, only small flying objects have a chance of penetrating through the apertures when the plugs are removed.